List of U.S. government and military acronyms
List of initialisms, acronyms ("words made from parts of other words, pronounceable"), and other abbreviations used by the government and the military of the United States :
- This is an incomplete list that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
0–9
- 0K - Zero Killed (pronounced OK, as the expression that everything is all right)
- 1LT – First Lieutenant (U.S. Army) (USAF uses "1st Lt")
- 2LT – Second Lieutenant (U.S. Army) (USAF uses "2d Lt")
- 2IC – Second In Command
A
- A – analog
- A1C – Airman 1st Class (USAF E-3)
- A2C2 – Army airspace command and control
- A-3 – (Operations Directorate (COMAFFOR))
- A-5 – (Plans Directorate (COMAFFOR))
- AA – Anti-aircraft
- AA – Armed Forces America
- AA – assembly area
- AA – assessment agent
- AA – avenue of approach
- AAA - Army Audit Agency
- AAA – antiaircraft artillery
- AAA – arrival and assembly area
- AAA – assign alternate area
- AAAS – amphibious aviation assault ship
- AABB – American Association of Blood Banks
- AABWS – amphibious assault bulk water system
- AAC – activity address code
- AAC – Army Air Corps (British)
- AAC – Australian Army Cadets (Australia)
- AACG – arrival airfield control group
- AADC – area air defense commander
- AADP – area air defense plan
- AA&E – arms, ammunition, and explosives
- AAEC – aeromedical evacuation control team
- AAFC – Australian Air Force Cadets (Australia)
- AAFES – Army and Air Force Exchange Service
- AAFIF – automated air facility information file
- AAFS – amphibious assault fuel system
- AAFSF – amphibious assault fuel supply facility
- AAGS – Army air-ground system
- AAI – air-to-air interface
- AAM – air-to-air missile
- AAMDC – US Army Air and Missile Defense Command
- AAOE – arrival and assembly operations element
- AAOG – arrival and assembly operations group
- AAP – Allied administrative publication
- AAP – assign alternate parent
- AAR – after action report
- AAR – after action review
- AAS – Army Apprentice School (Australia)
- AAST – aeromedical evacuation administrative support team
- AAT – automatic analog test
- AAT – aviation advisory team
- AAU – analog applique unit
- AAV – amphibious assault vehicle
- AAW – antiair warfare
- AB – airbase
- AB – Airman Basic (USAF E-1)
- ABCA – American, British, Canadian, Australian Armies Program
- ABCS – army battle command system
- ABD – airbase defense
- ABV - Assault Breacher Vehicle (U.S. Army)
- ABFC – advanced base functional component
- ACF – army cadet force (UK Military)
- ADF – Australian Defence Force (Australia)
- ADFA – Australian Defence Force Academy (Australia)
- ADFC – Australian Defence Force Cadets (Australia)
- ADOS – active duty, operational support
- ADSW – active duty, special work
- AE – Armed Forces Europe
- AEW&C - Airborne early warning and control
- AFI – awaiting further instruction/Air Force Instruction (requirement guide)
- AFMC – armed forces medical college
- AFOQT – air force officer qualifying test
- AFOSI – Air Force Office of Special Investigations
- AFSC - Air Force Specialty Code
- AHA – ammunition holding area
- AIM – airborne intercept missile (U.S. military)
- AIPD – Army Institute For Professional Development
- AIRTC – Air Training Corps (former name for the Australian Air Force Cadets)
- AIT – advanced individual training (U.S. Army)
- Amn – airman (USAF E-2)
- ALCON – All concerned (U.S. military)
- AMU – aircraft maintenance unit
- AMXG – aircraft maintenance group
- AMXS – aircraft maintenance squadron
- An – Antonov (Russian)
- ANZAC – Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
- AOL – absent over leave (U.S. Navy)
- AO – area of operations
- A&P – administrative and personnel
- AP – Armed Forces Pacifice
- AP – armor-piercing
- APC – armored personnel carrier
- APFSDS – armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot
- APO – Army Post Office; See also FPO
- APPN – appropriation number (U.S. Military)
- APRT – Army Physical Readiness Test (U.S. Army)
- ARA – Australian Regular Army (Australia)
- ARes – Army Reserve (Australia)
- ARM – anti-radar missile
- ARM – anti-radiation missile
- ARMS – automated recruit management system (U.S. military)
- ARMS – aviation resource management system (USAF)
- ART – alarm response team (USAF)
- ARVN – Army of the Republic of (South) Viet Nam (U.S. Military)
- ASAP – army substance abuse program (U.S. military)
- ASAP – as soon as possible
- ASEAN – Association of South East Asian Nations
- ASM – air-to-surface missile
- ASCM – anti-ship C missile
- ASV – anti-surface vessel (airborne radar)
- ASVAB – armed services vocational aptitude battery
- ASW – Anti-submarine warfare
- ATC – air training corps
- ATC – air traffic control
- ATO – air tasking order
- ATO – antiterrorism officer
- ATRRS – army training requirements and resources system
- AWACS - Airborne Warning and Control System
- AWOL – absent without leave
B
- BAMCIS – Begin planning Arrange Recon Make the plan Complete the plan Issue the order Supervise (US Marine Corps)
- BAH – Basic Allowance for Housing
- BAR – Browning Automatic Rifle
- BAU – Behavioural Analysis Unit
- BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge (aka Big Chicken Dinner)
- BCG – Birth Control Glasses (U.S. Military Slang)
- BCT – Basic Combat Training (U.S. Army)
- BDF – Barbados Defence Force (Barbados)
- BDU – Battle Dress Uniform (U.S. Military)
- Be – Beriev (Russian)
- BEA – Budget Execution Authority (U.S. Navy)
- BFT – Blue Force Tracker (U.S. Military)
- BG – Bodyguard
- BGHR – By God He's Right (U.S Military)
- BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front (US Military)
- BMNT – Begin Morning Nautical Twilightight (U.S Army)
- BN - Battalion (U.S. Army)
- BDE - Brigade (U.S. Army)
- BOHICA – Bend Over Here It Comes Again (US Military Slang)
- BRAC – Base Realignment And Closure
- BRAT (American)– Born Raised And Transferred (American usage, refers to dependent children of military personnel) Usually Pronounced "Military Brat" (Or "Air Force BRAT", or Army "Brat", Navy "Brat" etc.).[1]
- BRAT (British)– British RegimentAttachedTraveler (British military usage, may have been the original usage, which was later adapted to the American military: Means "child that travels with a soldier") Usually pronounced "Military Brat" or "Base Brat".[2][3]
- BUB – Battle Update Brief
- BVR – Beyond Visual Range (USAF)
- BX – Base Exchange (USAF)
- BZ – spoken "Bravo Zulu", meaning "congratulations, job well done"
C
- C1 – Command
- C2 – Command And Control
- C3 – Command Control And Communication
- C4IR – Command Control Communication Computers Intelligence And Recognition
- CAC – Common Access Card (U.S. DoD, pron. "cac")
- CAG – Commander, Air Group (U.S. Navy, pron. "cag")
- CAG – Civil Affairs Group. Term used for military members assigned to assist civilian governments with restoring infrastructure (All U.S. branches, pron. "cag")
- CAGE – Commercial and Government Entity
- CAPT – Captain (US Navy, USCG O-6)
- Capt – Captain (USMC, USAF O-3)
- CAS – Close Air Support
- CASEX – Coordinated Antil-Submarine EXercise
- CAT – Combat Application Tourniquets
- CBRN – Chemical Biological Nuclear Radiological
- CBU – Cluster Bomb Unit
- CCIR – Commanders Critical Information Requirements
- CDAT – Computerized Dumb Ass Tanker (M1 Abrams Crewmen)
- CDIAC – Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
- CDRUSPACOM Commander United States Pacific Command
- CENTCOM – Central Command (U.S. Military)
- CF – Cluster Fuck (always pronounced phonetically "Charlie Foxtrot")
- CH – Cunt Hair (a unit of measurement)
- Chief - Chief Warrant Officer
- CIA – Central Intelligence Agency
- CIC – Command Intelligence Center (U.S. Navy)
- CINCLANT – Commander-in-chief, Atlantic Forces (U.S. Navy before 2002)
- CINCLANTFLT – Commander-in-chief, Atlantic Fleet (U.S. Navy before 2002)
- CINCPAC – Commander-in-chief, Pacific Forces (U.S. Navy before 2002)
- CIWS – Close-In Weapon System
- CMSgt – Chief Master Sergeant (USAF E-9; highest AF enlisted rank)
- CMSAF – Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (USAF E-9 – Senior Enlisted Member)
- CO – Commanding Officer
- COA – Course of Action
- COB - Chief Of the Boat (Chief Petty Officer in charge of the Boat usually a Master Chief (USN Submariner Terminology))
- COCOM – Combatant Commander
- CODELS – Congressional Delegations
- "' Col. Colonel
- COMINT – Communications Intelligence
- COMPACFLT – Commander, Pacific Fleet (U.S. Navy)
- COMSEC' – Communication Security
- CONUS – Continental United States (U.S. military, pron. "cone-us")
- CONUSA – Continental United States Army (numbered Armies of U.S. military)
- CORDS – (U.S. military, Vietnam era)
- COP – Combat Out Post
- CoS – Chief of Staff
- COT – Commissioned Officer Training
- CPL – Corporal (U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-4)
- CPO – Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-7)
- CPT – Captain (US Army O-3)
- CPX – Command Post Exercise
- CQB – Close Quarters Battle
- CRC – CONUS Replacement Center (a military processing center at Fort Benning, Georgia, US)
- CSM – Command Sergeant Major (U.S. Army E9 highest Army enlisted rank))
- CT – Counter-terrorism Team
- CTR – Close Target Reconnaissance
- CUB – Commander Update Brief
- CVN – Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier (NOTE: the V comes from the expression "heavier than air flying machine")
- CWO - Chief Warrant Officer
- CZN – Nuclear-powered Airship Carrier (NOTE: the Z comes from the use of the word Zeppelin although non-Zeppelin airships would also be transported on a CZN)
D
- DA – Defence Attaché
- DAC – Department of the Army Civilian
- DAGR – Defense Advanced GPS Receiver
- DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (U.S. Military)
- DCAA – Defense Contract Audit Agency
- DCMA – Defense Contract Management Agency
- DME - Depot Maintenance Enterprise (U.S. Military)
- DFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military)
- DFAS – Defense Finance and Accounting Service (U.S. Military)
- D.I.A – Defensive Intelligence Agency
- DINFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military)
- DISA – Defense Information Systems Agency
- DLB – Dead Letter Box
- DMEA - Defense Microelectronics Activity
- DMS – Defense Message System (U.S. Military)
- DMZ – Demilitarized Zone
- DOA - Dead on Arrival
- DoDAAC – Department of Defense Activity Address Code (U.S. Military)
- DoDAF – Department of Defense Architectural Framework (U.S. Military)
- DoDIC – Department of Defense Identification Code (U.S. Military)
- DOP – Drop-Off Point
- DPMs – Disruptive Pattern Material
- DRT – Dead Right There; wounded in such a way as to indicate immediate and/or unavoidable death; often used as a sarcastic form of the civilian acronym DOA (Dead On Arrival)
- DTO – Daily Tasking Order
- DTRA - Defense Threat Reduction agency
- DZ – Drop Zone
E
- E&E – Escape and Evade
- EA - Electronic Attack
- ECP – Entry Control Point
- EDCSA - Effective Date of Change of Strength Accountability (obsolete for U. S. Army)
- EI – Engineering and Installation
- EIS – Engineering and Installation Squadron, Environmental Impact Statement
- EI SIT – Engineering and Installation Site Implementaion Team
- ELINT – Electronic Intelligence
- EMI - Extra Military Instruction
- ENS – Ensign (US Navy junior officer rank, O-1)
- EOD – Explosive Ordnance Disposal
- EOS - End of Service
- EP - Electronic Protection
- EPW – Enemy Prisoner of War
- ERV – Emergency Rendezvous
- ETA – Estimated time of arrival
- ETS – Estimated Termination of Service
- EUCOM – European Command (U.S. Military)
- EW - Electronic Warfare (comprises EA, EP)
- Exfil – Exfiltration (Opposite of infiltration; exiting undetected)
F
- FA – Field Artillery
- FABS – Fetus Aborted By Squad
- FAK – First Aid Kit
- FAR – Federal Acquisition Regulation
- FBCB2 – Force XXI Battlefield Command Brigade and Below
- FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
- FEBA – Forward Edge of the Battle Area
- FIDO – FIre Direction Officer
- FIST – FIre Support Team
- FISTer – Member of a FIre Support Team
- FIST-V – FIre Support Team Vehicle
- FISINT – Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence
- FISHDO – Fuck It, Shit Happens, Drive On
- FitRep – Fitness Report
- FLOT – Forward Line of Troops
- FLOTUS – First Lady of the United States (U.S. – see POTUS)
- FM – Field Marshal
- FMC – Fully Mission Capable
- FNG – Fucking New Guy
- FO – Forward Observer
- FO – Foxtrot Oscar (i.e. F**k Off) (US/UK Forces)
- FOB – Forward Operating Base
- FOD – Foreign Object Damage (U.S.)
- FOD – Foreign Object Debris (U.S.)
- FPO – Fleet Post Office; See also APO
- FSA – Force Structure Allowance
- FSTE – Foreign Service Tour Extension
- FTUS – Full Time Unit Specialist
- FUBAR – Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition
- FYSA - For Your Situational Awareness
G
- G1 – General Staff Level office for Personnel and Manpower (Division and Above)
- G2 – General Staff Level office for Military Intelligence (Division and Above)
- G3 – General Staff Level office for Operations and Plans (Division and Above)
- G4 – General Staff Level office for Logistics (Division and Above)
- G5 – General Staff Level office for Military/Civil Affairs (Division and Above)
- G6 – General Staff Level office for Signal and Communication (Division and Above)
- G7 – General Staff Level office for Training and Exercises (Division and Above)
- G8 – General Staff Level office for Force Development and Analysis (Division and Above)
- G9 – General Staff Level office for Civil Operations (Division and Above)
- GBU – Guided Bomb Unit
- GEN – General
- GI – Government Issue
- GIGO – Garbage In Garbage Out
- GM – Gone Mersault
- GO – General Officer
- GOCO – Government owned, contractor operated
- GPMG – General Purpose Machine Gun
- GPS – Global Positioning System
- GROM – Polish Special Operations Team (Polish Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego)
- Gulag – The Chief Administration of Collective Labor Camps (Russian Главное Управление Лагерей, "Glavnoye Upravleniye Lagerey")
H
- HALO – High Altitude Low Opening (Airborne)
- HBL - Holiday Block Leave (U.S. Army)
- HE – High Explosive
- HEAT – High Explosive Anti-Tank warhead
- HMAS – Her Majesty's Australian Ship (Australia)
- HMCS – Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (Canada)
- HMFIC – Head Motherf*cker In Charge – colloquialism for the highest-ranking person present; more commonly used by NCO's than by officers (U.S. Military)
- HMMWV – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (U.S. Military) (Pronounced Humvee)
- HMNZS – Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (New Zealand)
- HMS – Hans Majestäts Skepp (His Majesty's ship, Sweden)
- HMS – Her Majesty's Ship (Royal Navies such as Royal British Navy) (His Majesty's Ship if King)
- Hr.Ms - His/Her Dutch Majesty's Ship (Dutch Royal Navy ship)
- HOMSEC – Homeland Security
- HRAP - Hometown Recruiter Assistance Program
- HQ – Headquarters
- HHB - Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
- HHC - Headquarters and Headquarters Company
- HHT - Headquarters and Headquarters Troop
- HUMINT – Human Intelligence
- HYT – High Year Tenure
I
- IAF – Indian Air Force
- IAF – Israeli Air Force
- ICBM – Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
- ICE – Individual Carrying Equipment
- ID – IDentification
- IED – Improvised Explosive Device
- IFAK – Individual First Aid Kit
- IFF – Identification Friend or Foe
- IFF – Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (USAF)
- IG – Inspector General (US Military)
- IFV – Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- INSCOM – United States Army Intelligence and Security Command
- Il – Ilyushin
- Interpol – International Criminal Police Organization
- ISO – Inter School Course
- ISR – Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
- IYAAYAS – If You Ain't AMMO, You Ain't Shit
J
- JA – Judge Advocate [General]
- JAG – Judge Advocate General
- J.S.F – Joint Strike Fighter
- JATO – Jet-assisted Take Off
- JETDS – Joint Electronics Type Designation System
- JSAM – Joint Service Achievement Medal
- JSTARS – Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
- JSOC – Joint Special Operations Command
- JDAM – Joint Direct Attack Munition
- JEEP - Just Enough Essential Parts
K
- KATUSA – Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army
- KIA – Killed In Action
- KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid – USAF
- KP – Kitchen Police or Kitchen Patrol
- KBO – Keep Buggering On
L
- LAAD – Low Altitude Air Defense
- LCDR – Lieutenant Commander (US Navy)
- LCPL – Lance Corporal (US Marines)
- LES – Leave and Earnings Statement
- LP – Listening Post
- LP/OP – Listening Post Observation Post
- LGOP – Little Group Of Paratroopers
- LPO - Leading Petty Officer (US Navy)
- LT – Lieutenant
- LTC or Lt Col – Lieutenant Colonel
- LTG or Lt Gen – Lieutenant General
- LTJG – Lieutenant, Junior Grade (US Navy)
- LUP – Lying-Up Point
- LZ – Landing Zone
M
Maj.- major
- MARCORSYSCOM – MARine CORps SYStems COMmand (U.S. Military)
- MARFORRES – MARine FORces REServe (U.S. Marine Corps)
- MAW – Maximum Allowable Weight
- MBT – Main Battle Tank
- MCCS – Marine Corps Community Services (also known by the humorous backronym Marine Corps Crime Syndicate)
- MCEN – Marine Corps Enterprise Network (U.S. Military)
- MCEITS – Marine Corps Enterprise Information Technology Service (U.S. Military)
- MCPO – Master Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-9)
- MFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- MG – Machine Gun
- MG – Major General
- MI – Military Intelligence
- Mi – Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (Russian)
- MIA – Missing In Action
- MedEvac – Medical Evacuation
- MICV – Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle
- MiG – Mikoyan-Gurevich (Russian)
- MK – Mark
- MK – Machinery Technician (U.S. Coast Guard)
- MLRS – Multiple Launch Rocket System
- MMFD – Miles and Miles of F...ing Desert (unofficial report in Gulf War)
- MOA – Military Operating Area (USAF Airspace)
- MOAB – Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, also known as "Mother Of All Bombs". (U.S. military)
- MOAC - Mother of All Coffee (Green Bean Coffee)
- MOB – Main Operating Base
- MOBCOM – MOBile COMmand
- MOPP – Mission Oriented Protective Posture
- MPDS – Military Planning Data Allowance
- MRAP – Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
- MRE – Meal Ready to Eat (U.S. Military)
- MRX – Mission Rehearsal Exercise
- MSG – Master Sergeant (US Army E-8)
- MSgt – Master Sergeant (USAF E-7)
- MTOE – Modified Table Of Organizational Equipment
- MTS+ – Movement Tracking System Plus
- MSDC+ – Marine Science Diving Club (Diving Club Of Hasanudin University)
N
- NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement
- NAS – Naval Air Station
- NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- NCIS – Naval Criminal Investigative Service (U.S. Navy)
- NAVAIR – Naval Air Systems Command
- NCI - National Cancer Institute
- NCO – Non-Commissioned Officer
- NCOIC - Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge
- NCOES - Non-Commissioned Officer Education System
- ND – Negligent Discharge
- NEFF – New Equipment Fielding Facility
- NIBC National Interagency Biodefense Campus
- NICBR - National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research
- NMC – Not Mission Capable
- NMCI – Naval Marine Corps Intranet (U.S. Navy)
- NNMSA – Non-Nuclear Munitions Storage Area
- NS – Network Services
- NSA – National Security Agency
- NUB - Non-Useful Body (U.S. Submarines)
O
- OBE – Overcome By Events (DoD)
- OCONUS – Outside Continental United States
- OCS – Officer Candidate School
- OIC - Officer in Charge
- OM – On the Move (Normally just spelled out Oscar Mike)
- O&M, MC – Operations & Maintenance, Marine Corps (U.S. Navy)
- O&M, N – Operations & Maintenance, Navy (U.S. Navy)
- OODA – Observe, Orient, Decide, And Act
- OP – Observation Post
- ORM – Operational Risk Management
- OSM – Oh Shit Moment (U.S. Marine Corps)
- OSP – On Site Procurement
- OPORD – Operations Order
- OPSEC – Operations Security
- OTF – Out There Flapping (Airborne)
- OTS – Officer Training School
- OTV – Outer Tactical Vest
P
- PACOM – Pacific Command
- PCS – Permanent Change of Station
- PDS – Permanent Duty Station (U.S. Military)
- PDT – Pre-Deployment Training
- PE – Plastic Explosive
- PFC – Private First Class (U.S. Military)
- PFM – Pure Fuckin Magic (U.S. Military)
- PFT – Physical Fitness Test
- PII - Personally Identifiable Information or Personal Identity Information
- PL – Platoon Leader (U.S. Army)
- PLT – Platoon (U.S. Army)
- PMC – Partially Mission Capable
- PME – Professional Military Education
- PMS – Planned Maintenance Schedule (U.S. Navy)
- PNG – Passive Night Goggles
- PO – Post Office
- PO1 – Petty Officer 1st Class (USCG/USN E-6)
- PO2 – Petty Officer 2nd Class (USCG/USN E-5)
- PO3 – Petty Officer 3rd Class (USCG/USN E-4)
- POBCAK – Problem Occurs Between Chair And Keyboard
- POL – Petroleum Oil & Lubricants (U.S. Air Force)
- POC – Point Of Contact
- POTUS – President of the United States
- POG – Person Other than Grunt (All non-combat arms job fields i.e. any MOS or CMF other than infantry, cavalry, armor, and artillery; among infantrymen, refers to anyone other than infantry or Special Forces)
- POW – Prisoner Of War
- POV – Privately Owned Vehicle
- PPG – PT Parade Games
- PRP – Personnel ReliabilityProgram
- PRP – Pretty Retarded Program
- PRT – Provincial Reconstruction Team
- PRT – Physical Readiness Training (U.S. Army)
- PT – Physical Training
- PTB - Powers That Be
- PV2 – Private 2nd class (U.S. Army E-2)
- PVT – Private (U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-1)
- PX – Post Exchange (U.S. Army)
R
- RAAF – Royal Australian Air Force (Australia)
- RAF – Royal Air Force (UK)
- RAN – Royal Australian Navy (Australia)
- RATO – Rocket Assisted Take Off
- RCSC – Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (Canada)
- REMF – Rear Echelon Mother Fucker
- RFL – Response Force Leader
- RMC – Royal Military College of Canada (Canada) in Kingston, Ontario
- RN – Royal Navy (UK)
- ROE – Rules Of Engagement
- ROMA Data, Right Out of My Ass Data. Unverifiable created data (different from SWAG)
- ROWPU – Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit
- RNZAF – Royal New Zealand Air Force (New Zealand)
- RPG – Rocket-Propelled Grenade
- RPM – Rounds per minute
- RS – RatShit (Australia – related to US – Unserviceable)
- RSS – Regional Security System (Caribbean)
- RTB – Return To Base
- RV – Rendez-Vous
- RTO - Radio Telephone Operator
S
- SA – Seaman Apprentice (USCG/USN E-2)
- SAS – Special Air Service (British special forces)
- SBS – Special Boat Service (British special forces)
- SAAS – Standard Army Ammunition System (U.S. Army)
- SAM – Surface-to-air Missile
- SARSS – Standard Army Retail Supply System (U.S. Army)
- SCOTUS – Supreme Court of the United States
- SCPO – Senior Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-8)
- SD - "Status Destroyed" or "Salty Dog". Equipment that is written off as unrepairable and unsalvageable.
- SEAC - Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- SEAL – Sea, Air and Land (US Navy SEALs)
- SERE – Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape
- SFC – Sergeant First Class (U.S. Army E7)
- SGM – Sergeant Major (U.S. Army E9 – Sometimes referred to as Staff Sergeant Major)
- SGT – Sergeant (U.S. Army E5) (U.S. Marines uses Sgt)
- SITREP – Situation Report
- SJA – Staff Judge Advocate
- SLAM – Standoff Land Attack Missile
- SMA – Sergeant Major of the Army (U.S. Army E9 – Senior Enlisted Member)
- SMEAC - Situation Mission Execution Admin/logistics Command/signal (US Marine Corps basic knowledge)
- SMSgt – Senior Master Sergeant (USAF E-8)
- SN – Seaman (USCG/USN E-3)
- SNAFU – Situation Normal: All Fucked Up
- SOCOM – United States Special Operations Command
- SOFA – Status of Forces Agreement
- SOP – Standard Operating Procedures
- SOS – Shit On a Shingle, or creamed chipped beef on toast.
- SPC – Specialist (U.S. Army E-4)
- SR – Seaman Recruit (USCG/USN E-1)
- SrA – Senior Airman (USAF E-4)
- SRR – Special Reconnaissance Regiment (British special Forces)
- SSDD – Same Shit Different Day
- SSDDBS – Same Shit Different Day Bigger Shovel
- SSG – Staff Sergeant (US Army E-6)
- SSgt – Staff Sergeant (US Air Force E-5) (U.S. Marines E-6)
- SOL – Shit Out of Luck (US Army)
- SOLJWF – Shit Out of Luck and Jolly Well Fucked (U.S. Marines)
- STOVL – Short Takeoff, Vertical Landing
- SUSFU – Situation Unchanged, Still Fucked Up
- SWAG – Scientific Wild Ass Guess
T
- TACP – Tactical Air Control Party (USAF)
- TAD – Temporary Additional Duty (U.S. Military)
- TBD – To Be Determined
- TDY – Temporary Duty (U.S. Military)
- TF – Task Force
- TFOA – Things Falling Off Aircraft
- TG6 – Task Group 6 (group designation for NZ SAS – NZ Army)
- TOC - Tactical Operations Center
- TIC – Troops In Contact
- TSgt – Technical Sergeant (USAF E-6)
- TU – Tits Up (Dead, Inoperable), a.k.a. "tango uniform"
- TARFU – Things Are Really Fucked Up, or Totally And Royally Fucked Up
U
- UA – Unauthorized Absence
- UAS – Unmanned Aerial System
- UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- UCAV – Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
- ULLS – Unit Level Logisitics System (U.S. Army)
- UMA – Unit Mobilization Assistor
- UN – United Nations
- US – Unserviceable
- USSS – United States Secret Service
- USAF – United States Air Force
- USAFE – United States Air Forces in Europe
- USAMRICD - United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense
- USAMRIID - United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease
- USAMRMC - United States Army Medical Research and Materiél Command
- USAMRAA - United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity
- USA PATRIOT Act – Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act
- USAREC – US Army REcruiting Command
- USAREUR – US Army European Command
- USMC – United States Marine Corps
- USN – United States Navy
- USO – United Service Organizations (U.S. Military)
- USR – Unit Status Report
- UUV – Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
- UXB – Unexploded Bomb (bomb disposal; British)
- UXO – Unexploded Ordnance
V
- VBIED – Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device
- VDM – Visual Distinguishing Mark
- VFD – Volunteer Fire Department
- VFR – Volunteer Fire and Rescue
W
- WIA – Wounded In Action
- WO1 – Warrant Officer 1
- WSA – Weapons Storage Area
- WMD – Weapons of Mass Destruction
- WILCO – Will Comply
X
- XO – Executive Officer
See also
- military slang
- List of acronyms
- List of government and military acronyms
- List of U.S. Air Force acronyms and expressions
- List of U.S. Marine Corps acronyms and expressions
- List of U.S. Navy acronyms
References
- ↑ Wertsch, Mary E. (January 2006). Military Brats: Legacies of Childhood Inside the Fortress. ISBN 0-9776033-0-X.
- ↑ Clifton, Grace, "Making the Case for the BRAT (British Regiment Attached Traveler)", British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 30, No. 3 2004
- ↑ Adams, Leah; Kirova, Anna (2006). Global Migration and education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. pp. 263–4. ISBN 0-8058-5838-5{{inconsistent citations}}